Vincent fountain



No. 615,350. Patented Dec. 6, I898. V. FOUNTAIN. COMBINED POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1892.)

(No Model.)

W W W a W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT FOUNTAIN, OF N EVV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO THOMAS F. RYDER, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,350, dated December 6, 1898.

Application filed March 11, 1892. Serial No. 424,558. (No model.)

T 0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VINCENT FOUNTAIN, of New York, (\Vest New Brighton,) in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Pool and Billiard Table; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for converting pool-tables into billiard-tablesg and it consists in the particular.

construction, which will be fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a removable rigid rectangular frame adapted to fitsnugly within and'to rest against the cushions of a pool-table, the rigid frame having at its inner side a cushion, whereby it is adapted to be easily placed upon and removed from a pool-table and when in positionto be held by frictional engagement with the cushions of the pool-table, and to particularly brace the corners of the rigid frame which span the corner-pockets of the pool-table to prevent any vibration thereof when receiving a heavy blow from a billiard-ball.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a pool-table, showing my invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the attachment alone, showing it partially in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of my attachment, showing a slight modification in the application of the strengthening-iron. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through one edge of the billiardtable, showing the position of my improvements in respect thereto.

A indicates an ordinary pool-table,- and B my attachment which is to be applied thereto when it is desired to convert a poo1-table into a billiard-table. This attachment consists of a rigid rectangular frame C, which is preferably made of hard wood and is of a size to fit snugly and ti htly within the rubber cushion of a pool-table. For the purpose of making this frame C rigid and firm against warping and lateral displacement I secure to the said rail C an L-iron D, which extends entirely around the rail or frame C, as shown in Fig. 2. A cushion E is cemented or otherwise suitably secured to the inner side of the rail C and extends down to the lower edge of the lower portion of the L-iron, that is secured to the frame or rail C.

As the corners of the pool-table do not form a firm brace for the corners of the frame, owing to the pocketsformed therein, I add additional brace-irons at the corners for preventin g any deflection thereof under a heavy blow from a billiard-ball, which would otherwise possibly occur, and thus adect the accuracy of the shot.

Instead of an L-irou D being applied to the frame C, if preferred flat pieces of iron G may be applied to the outer and lower sides of the rail C, which form the frame, as shown in Fig. 3, and this will accomplish the'same result as the L-iron-namely, making a firm and rigid'frame that can be handled independently of the pool-table to which it is attached without injuring or displacing it in any manner. In this instance the iron Gwill be screwed to the frame, andthe screw-holes thereof will be made to alternate, as shown,

to prevent weakening of the iron, which might occur if the holes in the opposite edges thereof were placed opposite each other.

However, it will be obvious that my invention is clearly diiferent from the previouslydevised devices in that it is a rigid rectangular frame having its outer side constructed and adapted to be removably placed within and to rest against the cushions of a pooltable for converting it into a billiard-table 0 and to be held in place by frictional contact with the cushions of the pool-table. It is adapted to be readily and easily placed upon or removed from a pool-table by any one, whereby it is practically instantly converted 5 from either a pool to a billiard or a billiard to a pool table. Such a construction is very desirable under certain conditions-as, for instance, in a private tableenabiing the party to convert the table either into a pool too or a billiard table, or in saloons where there is but a single table enabling the owner to 2 iasso convert his table into either a pool or a billiard table, thus effecting a great saving in cost as compared with two separate tables, as

well as saving in the space occupied by the.

desire to secure by Letters Pat- 2. In combination with a pool-table, a rigid rectangular-frame of 'a'lieig htgadapted to frictional] y fit within and against the carom edges of the pool-table cushion and to rest upon the playing-surface of said table, a continuous cushion rigidly attached to the inner side of said frame in the same horizontal plane as the table-cushion, the corners of the frame provided with braces spanning the corner pool-pockets to prevent a deflection 01' vibration of the frame at this point, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

, VINOEN T FOUNTAIN.

Witnesses:

FRED B. BROWN, ROBERT P. BROWN. 

